Papers by Author: Racquel Z. LeGeros

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare the bone regenerative effect of calcium phosphate glass according to the particle size in vivo. We prepared two different sizes, that is 400 μm and 40 μm, of calcium phosphate glass powder using the system CaO-CaF2-P2O5-MgO-ZnO. Critical-sized calvarial defects were created in 60 male Sprague-Dawley rats. The animals were divided into 3 groups of 20 animals each. Each defect was filled with a constant weight of 0.5 g calcium phosphate glass powder mixed with saline. As controls, the defect was left empty. The rats were sacrificed 2 or 8 weeks after postsurgery, and the results were evaluated using histological as well as histomorphometrical studies. The particle size of the calcium phosphate was crucial; 400 μm particles promoted new bone formation, while 40 μm particles inhibited it because of severe inflammation.

Abstract: Plasma-sprayed ‘HA’ coatings on commercial orthopedic and dental implants were developed to combine the strength of the metal (Ti or Ti alloy) and the bioactivity of the hydroxyapatite (HA). Several studies have shown that ‘HA’-coated implants provided greater amount of bone attachment, higher bone-implant interfacial strength and accelerated skeletal attachment. However, some reports on implant failures have been attributed to coating delamination and coating early resorption of the plasma sprayed ‘HA’ coating. This paper reviews studies on characterization and degradation of plasma-sprayed ‘HA’ coatings on orthopedic and dental implants and offers alternatives to plasma-spray method of providing calcium phosphate coating. X-ray diffraction analyses showed that plasma-sprayed HA coating consists principally of HA and amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) with minor amounts of other resorbable calcium phosphates (α- or β-tricalcium phosphates, tetracalcium phosphate), sometimes calcium oxide. The HA/ACP ratios were found to range from 20HA/80ACP to 70HA/30ACP in coated implants from different manufacturers. In vitro initial dissolution rates in acidic buffer (pH 6, 37oC) increased with decreasing HA/ACP ratios in the coating because of the preferential dissolution of the ACP phase. These results suggest that coating with very low HA/ACP ratio may result in the premature resorption of the coating before the bone can attach to the implant thus causing loosening and eventual failure of the implant. Alternatives to plasma-sprayed ‘HA’ are implant surface modifications and low temperature calcium phosphate coatings using electrochemical deposition method or precipitation method.

Abstract: Fluoride, when incorporated in the apatite, stabilizes the structure. The purpose of this study was to determine the consequences of fluoride (F) substitution on the physico-chemical properties of apatites. F-containing apatites were prepared by precipitation or by hydrolysis of CaHPO4 in solutions containing different F concentrations and characterized using x-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry and chemical analyses. Results showed that F incorporation have the following effects: (a) decrease in a-axis dimension, (b) increase in crystal size and thickness, (c) decrease in calcium deficiency, and (d) lower solubility.

Abstract: Calcium phosphate bioceramics and bovine bone xenograft with or without sintering are more or less used in orthopaedics or in maxillofacial surgery. In this study we compare in a rat femoral epiphysis model after 3 weeks of implantation the bone in growth at the expense of granules of same size of micro macro porous biphasic calcium phosphate MBCP, sintered bovine bone and unsintered BioOss.

Abstract: A numerous techniques have been applied to fabricate three-dimensional scaffolds of high porosity and surface area. And X-ray micro computed tomography can be used studying the architecture of scaffold. In this study, we fabricated three-dimensional macroporous scaffold by polymeric sponge method using calcium phosphate glass. Calcium phosphate glass slurry was prepared by dissolving the glass powder in water polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol and dimethyl formamide. Reticulated polyurethane sponges were used as a template and were coated with the prepared slurry by infiltration technique several times. Sintering at 950oC exhibited dense microstructure as well as entire elimination of organic additives. By repeating the coating and sintering process, it was possible to decrease the pore size and be thick the strut of the structure. The unique feature of the micro computed tomography is that the three dimensions computed reconstruction can be sliced along any direction to gain accurate information on the internal geometric properties and structural parameters of scaffold. Porosity, surface area per unit volume and mean thickness of strut were evaluated through imaging and computer software of scaffold scan data.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to produce a macroporous hydroxyapatite(HA) scaffold with high strength by controlling the size of HA particles as well as cooling rate from the sintering temperature. Macroporous polyurethane sponge was employed as template to manufacture the macroporous HA scaffolds. Particle sizes of HA powders selected in this study were 4 µm and 7 µm. They were dispersed in distilled water with organic additives and infiltrated into polyurethane sponge. After drying and sintering at 1300oC, cooled down to room temperature slowly to prevent microcracking either 1oC/min or 3oC/min. Density, porosity and compressive strength were measured with different particle size and cooling rate. Both density and compressive strength were increased with decreasing particle size or cooling rate, while porosity was not related to.

Abstract: In preliminary ageing test, the cement using only calcium phosphate glass as power phase cracked with 1 day in simulated body fluid because of high dissolution rate of the cement. We added 30 wt% of either β-TCP or HA to 70 wt% calcium phosphate glass as powder phase to control the dissolution rate of the cement and performed in vitro ageing test in simulated body fluid by dynamic protocol as well as static protocol to confirm the possibility of controlling. Adding either β-TCP or HA to the cement increases the setting time and decreases the compressive strength. In dynamic assay, the pH of extract is maintained over 7. However, pH decreased to around 5 in static assay. Therefore, weight loss by static protocol continuously increased for 14 days, while weight loss by dynamic protocol almost saturated. In XRD patterns of ageing cements, CaO peaks appeared. CaO peak was maximized most lately in dynamic assay of the cement adding HA and within 7 days, the cement adding HA showed higher weight loss. It is indicated that CaO formed in surface of the cement hinder the dissolution of the cement. In addition, compressive strength increased when the CaO peak was maximized.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn) and fluoride (F)-containing calcium phosphate compounds (Mg/Zn/F-CaP) in correcting the bone mineral deficiency noted in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. In order to evaluate therapeutic effect of selected Mg/Zn/F-BCP preparations (G2: 1.13%Mg/13.6%Zn/2.5%F, G3:7.76%Mg/1.89%Zn /3.01%F and G4:2.72%Mg/3.75%Zn/1.35%F), suspensions consisting of Mg/Zn/F-CaP preparations and of Zn-TCP (G1: 6.17%Zn) powder were injected in the right thigs of OVX rats for 4 weeks. Injection of Zn-TCP powder suspension in G1 and G2 groups led to the recovery of plasma Zn levels in OVX rats. The area under the curve of plasma Zn for the G2, G1 and Normal (not ovariectomized) control group (GN) groups were significantly lower than those of the group G3, G4 and OVX /untreated control (GC) groups (p<0.05). The bone mineral density (BMD) of the right femur was significantly higher than that of the left in G1, G2, G3 and G4 groups on day 28. However, there was no significant difference in the BMD between the left and right femur in the GC and GN groups.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the solubility of magnesium-containing tricalcium phosphate (MgTCP) over a magnesium content range from 0 to 10 mol%, and to compare it with that of zinc-containing tricalcium phosphate (ZnTCP). MgTCP powders with various Mg contents were immersed in 0.08M acetic acid and sodium acetate buffer solution of pH 5.5 at 25±2 °C. Solubility product, Ksp = (Ca2+)3-x(Mg2+)x(PO4 3-)2, was calculated. From the Ksp data, the solubility of MgTCP in the pH range from 5 to 7.5 was inversely calculated. The solubility of MgTCP decreased with increasing Mg content. The negative logarithm of solubility product (Ksp) was regressed as pKsp = 29.041+0.90467C-0.18069C2+0.025962C3-0.00192C4-0.000055199C5 , where C is the Mg content of MgTCP in mol%. In the magnesium content range from 0 to 10 mol%, the solubility of MgTCP is higher than that of ZnTCP containing the same amount of zinc.